Autumn’s answer to the jumpsuit, the boilersuit, is well on its way to becoming this season’s most stylish commodity.

Although tricky to pull off without looking like a mechanic, if done well, the boilersuit can inject some serious class into cold-weather dressing.

Practical, cosy and undeniably cool, the boilersuit can be dressed up with heels and chunky earrings, or worn to the office with a slouchy coat and trainers. It’s this versatility that gives the boiler such potential.

But with wool, cord, patterned and denim versions all vying for domination on the high street, how do you choose which one works for you?

We’ve collated some of our favourites, so you can take your pick from the best of the high street.

Utility zip detail jumpsuit, £59

The retro-inspired design is perfect for fans of millennial pink. Add a touch of metal hardware to punk it up, and you’ve really got a look. Pair it with white trainers or switch it up with some metallic heels for a chic day-to-night outift.

Quilted boilersuit, £68

If you’re looking for something really snug, this one’s for you. The quilted boilersuit basically turns you in to a walking sleeping bag. Perfect for when the temperatures plummet, but you might find yourself literally cooking if you get stuck on the tube.

Tencel boilersuit, £34.99

This khaki number is ideal for the urban adventurer.

Lightweight with adjustable sleeves, it’s a good option for the wildly unpredictable autumn weather, and is perfect for layering. Team with snakeskin boots if you really want to channel your inner safari queen.

Belted wool-blend boilersuit, £85

If you’re after a smarter look, this wool-blend boiler is great for the office. Tapered legs and a fitted belt make it the perfect piece for modern power-dressing.

Wear it with killer stilettos and gold jewellery to really show them who’s boss.

Floral-print boiler suit, £48

For something a bit more fun, try this cute floral boiler. Yes, there’s a slight danger of looking like a giant toddler in a romper suit, but sometimes it’s ok to let your inner child run free.

Utilitarian jumpsuit, £35

This midnight blue boiler is probably the most versatile of the bunch. Wear it with boots or trainers, layer it up with a roll neck jumper when winter hits, or add gold accessories for party season. This could easily become your go-to emergency outfit.

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I just returned from Lanzarote, where I stayed with my ex for a week.

No, it wasn’t a romantic getaway, but a breakup holiday – to celebrate the end of our six years as a couple.

After splitting up a month prior to our holiday we decided to keep things friendly.

We wanted to honour the time we spent together and memories by taking time to do something nice as friends – a holiday in Lanzarote with its sweeping shores, sea breeze and rugged landscapes was the perfect place.

Relationship expert Shomit Mitter says that a breakup holiday might actually be a good idea.

‘If a relationship breaks down irreparably, you often have to be strong enough to detach emotionally and part ways,’ Shomit tells us. ‘But that doesn’t mean you can’t be even stronger and have compassion for your ex even as you move on.

‘We tend far too often to see the world in black and white terms: either I’m with that person or I’m not. We do this because it gives us clarity in a time of turmoil. And clarity, in turn, gives us momentum: it gives us the courage to go down the road we may find terrifying.

‘But we can be stronger than that. We can love and detach at the same time. You don’t have to hate someone forever because you once broke up with them.’

Holidaying with my ex worked out a treat for me. We both knew were we stood – just friends – and were both able to move forward. Long days on the beach and seafood dinners weren’t awkward at all. We’d been through such a testing year together before going away that a lot of the love and trust had disappeared anyway – so neither of us was hankering after the other.

I reckon everyone going through a separation should cushion the crushing blow to the heart with sun, sand and sangria.

Self-confidence expert and relationship coach Ben Edwards says he’s been on more than one holiday with an ex and massively agrees that it can help you gain closure.

He tells us: ‘Once a couple have agreed to separate there’s no more pressure to meet the needs of the other – all that pressure has been removed.

‘Once you’ve established the relationship is over, and the initial hurt is gone, it’s acceptable to still find qualities you find attractive in that person that can help establish a friendship that can make a good, fun holiday possible.’

Just make sure to choose your destination wisely. Staying at Lanzarote Retreats was perfect for me and my ex as there was plenty of space for spending time alone as well as together. The queen-sized bed in our apartment held three (perfect for estranged nights) and the pool and garden landscape were just the right size for relaxing apart.

Don’t forget, says relationships counsellor Nicola Perry, just because the partnership has ended, doesn’t mean your ex still can’t stay friends. Nicola says: ‘It’s about fostering and enjoying the good things that you enjoyed about each other and redefining the relationship that you’re going to have with each other for the future.’

Integrative therapist Karen Pollock agrees it’s healthier to be able to accept that whilst being together is not right for us now, we don’t have to erase every happy moment and memory. She says that holidaying together can allow us to consider what the new relationship might look like, away from the pressures and stresses of everyday life.

I found during my jaunt with my ex that investing quality time in a healthy relationship post-split helps put a positive spin on a parting. It no longer feels like a miserable breakup, but a friendly redefinition of our relationship.

Shomit adds: ‘A holiday is time-bound (so there is less space for confusion); and it always makes for a break from the tedium and stress of everyday life (so it’s more likely to go well than not).

‘If you really want to move on you have to make peace with the partner you once loved. If taking them on a break was once a good way of building a romantic relationship, why not do the same thing as a way of building a post-romantic one?’

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A very proud dog and CBP Agriculture Detector K-9 Hardy, a member of the ‘Beagle Brigade’, has been praised after alerting agents to the baggage of someone travelling from Ecuador.

Hardy, a six-year-old rescue Beagle, joined CBP in 2015 after completing training with the US Department of Agriculture at their National Detectors Dog Training Center in Newnan, GA.

While looking through the traveller’s baggage, the unit discovered a roasted pig head, which weighed nearly two pounds and went on to be seized and destroyed.

Naturally, Hardy was very pleased with himself, and posed for a picture with his discovery.

Pork products from other continents are prohibited from entry into the US to prevent potential introduction of foreign animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Classical Swine Fever and Swine Vesicular Disease.

When entering the US, every type of fruit, vegetable or food product must be declared to a CBP agriculture specialist or CBP officer and must be presented for inspection, regardless of where it came from.

Carey Davis, CBP Port Director for the Port of Atlanta, said: ‘Our best defense against destructive pests and animal diseases is to prevent the entry of prohibited agriculture products from entering the United State

‘This seizure at ATL illustrate the tremendous expertise of our four-legged K-9 partners in protecting the United States.’

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After a long hot summer, the year is starting to wind down and the dark nights are coming in earlier.

It’s a time for hot drinks, cosy blankets, and plenty of lie-ins on the weekend. However, for some reason it does make getting up in the morning feel harder.

The NHS reports that one in three of us suffer with poor sleep, and people across the country seem to start worrying as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

The good news, however, is that there’s no one-size-fits-all amount of sleep that you need to get, and sleeping better each night is a gradual process affected by myriad factors.

The amount of sleep you need varies with your age and life circumstances.

Sleep expert Neil Stanley says,

Individual sleep need is like height – we are all different and it is to a large degree genetically determined.  Anywhere between about four and eleven hours can be considered normal but getting just one hour less sleep a night than you require can have measurable effects on your physical and mental health.

The Sleep Foundation recommend about seven to nine hours a night for an adult or young adult, but this can be affected by anything from how stressful your days are, your health, and the stimulants you eat or drink throughout the day.

As you get older, you also start to need less sleep.

Stanley advises that you work out what’s best for you. If you feel tired every day that means you aren’t getting enough hours.

Having a routine is important, as if you sleep late on the weekends your body struggles to readjust once you’re back in work mode.

You should also try your best to switch off from screens as early as possible, as the blue light emitted from these can have a detrimental effect on your sleep pattern.

Businesswoman Michelle Mone boasts only needing four hours a night, and apparently Donald Trump only has three hours. However, sleep is how your body recharges and repairs itself, so don’t feel ashamed if you need much more.

After all, lack of sleep (two hours a night) caused Nikolai Tesla to have a breakdown aged only 25, showing just how important getting some shut-eye can be for both your physical and mental wellbeing.

If you struggle with severe insomnia and can’t sleep at all, it’s best to see a doctor as there may be underlying issues.

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A man who nearly died has kept in high spirits as he downloaded Tinder and created a hilarious bio with a photo of him in a hospital chair.

27-year-old Joe was crushed beneath two 1,500lb hay bales which tumbled down on top of him, and nearly killed him.

‘I should be dead,’ he said.

‘I still can’t wrap my mind around how I survived. It was pure luck.’

Though Joe has a long road to recovery ahead of him – which he acknowledges will be ‘painful’, he’s just thankful he survived.

He said: ‘Because I’m still alive, breathing, and no longer crushed under 3000lbs of hay, so I welcome any and all pain.

‘Cause pain is a feeling, a feeling I shouldn’t be feeling anymore. But I am, cause I’m alive!!’

To show how happy he is to be alive, Joe is taking no chances on missing out on any dates while he’s recovering. He set up a Tinder profile with a brilliant, upfront bio.

His bio read: ‘Sup ladies, I’m Joe, I got crushed by 3000 pounds. Got a broken pelvis but still dtf. I do have a catheter.

‘I don’t wanna be “one of those guys” who lies about his catheter status.

‘The catheter may be an issue but great minds do great things.

‘Bedbound, you literally have to all the work. I probably can’t get off.. or get hard. But hey; great minds.

‘Anyway, I’m here at UVA medical center if you wanna smash.’

Joe posted a photo of his bio and his hospital experience to Reddit, where his post has been viewed more than 139,000 times.

One person commented: ‘Your Tinder game cracked me up!’

Another said: ‘Oh, that profile is amazing.’

Someone else commented: ‘Bless his heart. Still looking to smash after being smashed.’

And someone else joked: ‘Did that sweet tinder profile get you a roll in the hay?’

Joe says that currently he’s alive and in pain, but that’s much better than the alternative.

And, luckily, he’ll be able to walk again – so any dates won’t need to take place in his hospital bed.

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A new study has found that babies who are breastfed for six months have fewer antibiotic resistant bacteria in their guts.

The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, concluded that the sugars in breast milk feed the ‘good bacteria’, preventing antibiotic-resistant bugs in babies.

Scientists at Helsinki University think that breast milk protects babies from dangerous bugs. This is important because infants are particularly at risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria because their immune systems haven’t yet developed.

The new research adds to the well-recorded list of benefits of breast milk. Doctors agree that breastfeeding reduces the risk of allergies, provides vital vitamins and nutrients, and even helps a new mother to bond with her baby.

The study analysed the genes of 16 mothers and babies over eight months. They tested the breast milk and faeces from both mum and baby, looking at a total of 96 samples.

Although breast milk does contain bacteria that’s resistant to antibiotics, it’s the sugar in the milk that is  beneficial.

These sugars, like Bifidobacteria, provide sustenance to ‘good’ gut bacteria, which work like probiotics for babies.

Commenting on the results of the study, lead scientist Katariina Pärnänen, said the results were conclusive.

‘As a general rule, it could be said that all breastfeeding is for the better,’ she explains.

‘The positive effect of breastfeeding was identifiable also in infants who were given formula in addition to breast milk.

‘Partial breastfeeding already seemed to reduce the quantity of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

‘Another finding was that nursing should be continued for at least the first six months of a child’s life or even longer.’

The scientists also suggested that all of the antibiotic courses taken by the mother in her life may have an impact on the prevalence of resistant bacteria in her child’s gut.

As a result, a suggestion was made for GPs to consider whether practices around giving expectant mothers antibiotics should be looked at.

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It’s the end of a long day and you’re exhausted.

Getting into bed is often just a case of pulling on the first comfortable thing you can find.

But when was the last time you washed those PJs?

Personally, I can’t stand more than three days wearing the same thing to bed.

But apparently I am cleaner than I thought.

Statistics show the average length of time women wait before washing their nightwear is 17 nights.

And it’s 13 nights for men.

Over half of the 2,500 surveyed women said the main reason is that they alternate between multiple pairs and it’s easy to forget how many nights they have been wearing them for.

Most men (73%) said they don’t do their washing so just wear whatever is to hand.

So should we be washing our nightwear more often?

We sweat at night and shed dead skin cells – surely we don’t want to be lying in over weeks worth of our own dead skin.

It’s a breeding ground for bacteria, vaginal juices, poo, urine and all sorts of unpleasant things.

Hygeine expert Dr Lisa Ackerley told Metro.co.uk: ‘The question of when to launder anything depends on a number of factors and to some degree personal preference.

‘Technically your pyjama bottoms are the same as your underwear so you may want to consider washing them daily.

‘However if you shower or bathe before bed, your pyjamas won’t get as dirty so quickly so every few days would be fine.

‘If you are ill and have a fever then you would probably want to change them daily.

‘If you lounge around pyjamas round the house all day then they would need washing daily as per underwear.’

According to the high street lingerie brand Boux Avenue, uncomfortable or unclean nightwear could be causing us to lose sleep.

‘Creating the right environment and choosing season-appropriate sleepwear can hugely impact comfort and temperature,’ a spokesperson for the brand said.

‘Our core body temperatures need to drop by about 1°C while our skin temperatures need to increase to successfully initiate sleep and the insulation provided by comfortable sleepwear and good fabric, for example, cotton or flannel, can help maintain comfort throughout the night.

‘Fit matters too – comfy pyjamas give you much more freedom to move, stretch and snuggle into bed while sleeping.’

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Now that it’s autumn, prints are in, and so we’re super happy that Topshop has re-released its super popular polka-dot dress, but this time in snakeskin.

The original black and white dress was so popular on social media that it sold out pretty much as soon as it was released, and then again every time it was restocked.

But now they’ve released a snakeskin version, which, along with leopard print, is very *in* right now.

The dress features the same midi, sleeveless style with a plunge neckline and pleated skirt.

The only difference – besides the print, of course – is that this dress costs £10 more at £65.

It’s likely the dress will sell out seriously fast, so now’s the time to buy it if you fancy treating yourself to an early Christmas gift.

So far, size 4 has sold out but there are still sizes 6 – 18 available.

So if you want to get your hands on one, you’d best be quick.

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One of Britain’s largest apartments has been put on the market for almost £10 million, and it comes with an 85ft long entertainment room.

The three-storey penthouse is located in St John’s Wood, and has pretty lovely views across Regent’s Park.

It is in ‘unmodernised’ condition and has nine bedrooms, five bathrooms and four reception rooms.

It’s the second largest apartment selling on the open market in London, and has a terrace and balconies offering views across London’s skyline.

On the top floor is the entertainment suite, which is 85ft long. It has a floorspace of more than 1,600sq/ft and a party room which is twice the size of the average English home.

The penthouse also has seven underground car parking spaces and its terrace space is larger than most of the gardens in St John’s Wood.

Arlington Residential, acting on the instruction of an LPA Receiver, is marketing the penthouse at Two Avenue Road for £9.75 million.

But when it is refurbished, the property is expected to be worth in excess of £20 million.

Marc Schneiderman, director at Arlington Residential, said: ‘I visited the apartment around 25 years ago and it was just the most breathtaking place, but it has aged and it’s now dated so this is the chance for someone to come in and start from scratch.

‘It is an unusual opportunity. In addition to the 8,000 sq/ft floor space you have more than 4,000 sq/ft of terraces with hands-down the best views across Regent’s Park.

‘I think there is a very strong likelihood it will be bought by an international buyer but it will need to go to someone with a team of designers and architects who can get to grips with the space.

‘They might want to reconfigure it and turn the top floor into a master bedroom suite.

‘My firm is 25-years-old and I was an agent for six years before and I’ve not seen an apartment with a space like it. The top floor is just about the biggest room I’ve been in.

‘It is pretty much a one-off opportunity. Once finished, I think it will be the best flat in the area.’

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It is gravely important that midweek we discuss the meaningful issues.

We must answer the big questions, debate the most life-affecting news of the day, engage in conversations that change the world.

And so, on this Wednesday afternoon, 17 October 2018, we must ask you, our loyal readers: Is this furry creature a sheep or a pig?

It is wooly like a sheep, but has a snout like a pig.

So is it a sheep that looks like a pig or a pig that looks like a sheep?

Gaze at the photo below, then vote in the poll. Please respect the importance of this question by answering with your honest thoughts and refusing to scroll ahead for the real answer.

Okay, gang, are you ready?

Are you prepared to find out the truth?

…..

It’s a pig. Shocking, we know.

A man named Craig Morris spotted these mysterious creatures near the village of St. Mary’s on Orkney, and quickly shared photos and a video.

These photos spouted furious debate, but we can now confirm that these are in fact just wooly pigs. They appear to be the mangalica breed, a Hungarian pig developed back in the 19th century by breeding a wild boar with a Serbian pig.

It’s believed that the pigs Craig spotted are the only two pigs of the breed in the UK, so they’re quite a special sighting.

Now go forth with the rest of your week, friends, reassured in the knowledge that we have solved this conundrum. There are not yet sheepigs, shigs, or peeps in the world, but there do exist wooly pigs.

If you’re into farmyard animal news, you may also enjoy reports of a very cute sheep in Scotland.

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That’s right pals, it’s time for some good old fashioned gay panic.

This time around we aren’t questioning your enjoyment of anal play (no, that does not ‘make you gay’) or the choice to wear a delightful pink shirt (that doesn’t either), but are encouraging all those who are insecure in their own sexuality to closely analyse the length of their fingers.

You see, new research suggests that the length of your fingers could reveal your sexuality.

Which leads us to the big question: Are your hands gay?

According to research from the Essex University, the difference between the length of your index and ring fingers might indicate whether you’re gay or straight.

The study looked at 18 sets of female twins (each set with one straight twin and one lesbian twin) and found that the ‘gay’ female twin tended to have more ‘male-typical’ hands than her sister.

Male-typical hands mean there’s a difference between the length of the index finger and the length of the ring finger. Women’s index and ring fingers are typically of the same length.

This is thought to be due to being exposed to tesosterone in the womb.

The study also looked at 14 sets of male twins, and found that the gay twin had slightly more ‘male-typical’ hands than their straight brother, but the difference wasn’t viewed as significant.

So essentially, the research suggests that if you’re gay, your ring and index fingers will be different lengths. If you’re straight, your ring and index fingers will be the same length.

*Cue intense measuring of fingers*.

Dr Tuesday Watts, from the department of psychology, said: ‘Because identical twins, who share 100% of their genes, can differ in their sexual orientations, factors other than genetics must account for the differences.

‘Research suggests that our sexuality is determined in the womb and is dependent on the amount of male hormone we are exposed to or the way our individual bodies react to that hormone, with those exposed to higher levels of testosterone being more likely to be bisexual or homosexual.

‘Because of the link between hormone levels and difference in finger lengths, looking at someone’s hands could provide a clue to their sexuality.’

But before you start requesting hand pics when you’re on Tinder or outing your friends with fingers of different lengths, we think it’s important to note that sexuality is a little more complex than that.

If you are attracted only to people of the other gender, you don’t need to have a meltdown because your ring finger is longer than your index finger.

If you’re a lesbian with straight hands, please do not question your sexual identity.

You know your own sexuality better than someone’s measurements of your hands can indicate, and if you’re curious about someone else’s sexuality, it’s probably better to ask rather than make assumptions based on their finger length.

As funny as it may be to make insecure people panic that their hands are gay, there’s really not enough research to point to a clear link between finger length and sexuality. This one study only looked at 18 sets of female twins and 14 sets of male twins – that’s hardly enough to generalise, and if you go around measuring everyone’s hands you’ll quickly notice that their sexualities don’t often match up with how ‘gay’ their hands are.

The research also doesn’t go into sexualities beyond gay or straight, so we may never know how different your finger lengths should be if you’re bisexual (what exact measurement qualifies you as bi?), asexual, or any of the many identities under the sexual umbrella.

Everyone remain calm, but do feel free to tell anyone whose sexuality and gender identity is much too fragile that actually, their hands are gay.

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Christmas is coming and it’s time to start thinking about presents.

If you’re buying for kids, now is the time to start.

Both Tesco and Sainsbury’s have launched half price toy sales in the last few days.

You can get popular brands like Play Doh, Chad Valley, Hatchimals, Lego, Nerf, Barbie and L.O.L. for less.

Sainsbury’s are even selling board games for half price – perfect for spending time together over the festive period.

But both Sainsbury’s are only honouring the offer in-store.

Tesco’s toys can be bought online or in store.

With the demise of Toys ‘R’ Us, it is the perfect chance for parents or relatives to pick up some bargains.

But be quick – Sainsbury’s deal will only run until 23 October and Tesco’s offer will end on 28 October.

Coffee lovers, rejoice: You’re about to get a sneak peak at Costa’s Christmas menu.

While we’re still enjoying Costa’s latest autumn range, which includes bonfire-spiced drinks, the coffee chain is intent on adding new items to its menu for the festive period.

On 1 November, it’ll launch the festive takeaway cups, which come in four colours – teal, bronze, red and purple – and feature cute characters such as snowmen, penguins and a gingerbread man, alongside a brand new food and drink menu.

Christmas is for indulging, and it seems Costa knows it as new to the menu is the hazelnut praline and cream latte, which features a chocolate truffle crumb.

There’s also the caramelised orange and cream hot chocolate, which is topped with an orange syrup, cream and a caramelised orange slice *drools*.

Costa is also bringing back some firm favourites: the Black Forest hot chocolate, gingerbread and cream latte and gingerbread and cream hot chocolate, which comes with a miniature gingerbread man.

Foodwise, think foods you’d want to eat snuggled up in an oversized jumper by the fireplace.

There’s pigs in blankets mac & cheese (we know, it sounds amazing), and a range of sandwiches like turkey and Emmental shimmer brioche.

There’s also a double chocolate Yule log, gingerbread muffins and a clementine drizzle loaf cake for pudding.

Basically, Costa has got your back this winter if you find yourself on a very cold lunch break with a need for a cup of festive hot chocolate and Christmas dinner themed food.

Amazing.

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If you favourite thing about Christmas is the copious amounts of cheese you’re totally allowed to indulge in, you’ll be happy to know that Sainsbury’s is launching an advent calendar filled with your favourite food.

The calendar features 24 days worth of cheese, containing seven varieties including Jarlsberg, Applewood, Edam, Red Leicester, Wensleydale and Cheddar.

There’s also going to be a limited edition ginger cheese for those feeling extra festive.

Each chunk of cheese is individually wrapped so it won’t go hard, but the calendar does need to be kept in the fridge.

The calendar is going to cost £10 and will be launched in Sainsbury’s on 14 November.

However, it’s also going to be launched in Asda the day after, for £8, on 15 November.

And if you fancy adding to your cheese collection while in Asda, the supermarket has just launched a white chocolate and salted caramel cheese.

The £1 chunk of red tractor farm-assured Wensleydale cheese contains pieces of white chocolate and chunks of salted caramel and comes in 90g wedges.

The cheese contains 406 calories per 100g, and we’d suggest serving it on a digestive biscuit to keep the sweet flavour.

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Would you eat at a restaurant where what you pay depends on how popular you are?

This is exactly the deal at Milan restaurant, This Is Not a Sushi Bar. In a bold move, owners have decided to turn popularity into currency, meaning the more Instagram followers you have, the less you have to pay for your meal.

The Japanese restaurant, situated in the Porta Venezia region of Milan, serves fresh sushi and sashimi. Customers can get a number of plates, or even their entire meal for free, if they can drum up enough likes.

So how does it work? As long as you have an Instagram account, all you have to do is upload a photo of your food and use the hashtag #thisisnotasushibar.

Present your post at the register and they will calculate your discount based on the reach of your followers.

But don’t bother if you’re not social media savvy. Anyone with fewer than 1,000 followers won’t be getting anything on the house.

Customers with 1,000 – 5,000 followers get one free plate, two free plates if they have 5,000 – 10,000, four free plates if they have 10,000 – 50,000, and eight free plates if they have 50,000 – 100,000 followers.

You have to have more than 100,000 followers to get your entire meal for free.

While this all sounds a little bit like a warped popularity contest, founder Matteo Pittarello says it’s a great way to engage with customers.

‘The idea was born with two goals: to stimulate in an innovative and inclusive way in store consumption and the participation of our clients, given that over 90% of our activity is concentrated on delivery,’ Matteo explains.

‘We intend to make this formula permanent. As far as we know, we should be the first in the world to use this approach in a structured way.

‘We are unconventional people and we like to do unconventional things. We want to become the first cashless chain, trying new ways of payment.

‘We put all these things together in a brainstorming sessions, a hint of Black Mirror in it and here we are.’

But is there a danger of going too far with social media? Matteo thinks it’s the future and the best policy is to get on board with it.

‘Social media is shaping our lives whether we like it or not, we just play along. Everybody else is always welcome in our restaurant. If they’re not an influencer they can just pay normally. We like to make sure we’re inclusive.’

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Cheesy chips – the saviour of drunken journeys home up and down the country.

But how do you make this carby classic even better? Put it on a pizza. Obviously.

This calorific snack is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Chip shop chips smothered in melted cheddar sit atop a classic Margarita pizza. That’s right – double cheese.

The Knightsridge chip shop, in Livingston in Scotland, had the idea of combining two of its most popular items, with the hope of creating a super snack.

And fast food fans are not disappointed.

Sam Shilliday said on Facebook that the pizza was, ‘a thing of beauty’. Paul Hazelgrove said that he had, ‘died and gone to heaven.’

The post has attracted hundreds of shares and almost 2,000 comments, so it looks like the pizza is well on its way to becoming the takeaway’s new best seller.

This isn’t the first recipe Knightsridge has experimented with.

Unafraid to combine classic cuisines, they also sell a ‘China Town pizza’, which has a curry sauce base and spicy chicken topping.

Whether you’ve got the hangover to end all hangovers, or you’re in dire need of a tipsy midnight snack – this doughy, cheesy combo could be just what you need. Just try not to think about what it’s doing to your arteries.

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They might be man’s best friend, but could a dog lead you to romance?

New figures suggests that dog owners are far more likely to meet new people, be asked on a date, and find love than those without a furry friend.

The research, carried out by the Kennel Club, shows that dog owners are luckier in love. They found that 72% of London dog owners were married or in a relationship, compared to 55% of non-dog owners.

So if you’re sick of barking up the wrong tree, the answer is simple – get yourself a dog.

But why is is this the case? Is there something about dog owners that’s just intrinsically more loveable?

It may be down to more practical reasons.

35% of dog owners in London said that they had been asked on a date or found love while they were out walking their dog. That makes sense. Approaching someone in a park to talk about their dog is sweet and appealing. Without a dog – it’s pretty creepy.

Dog lovers are also more likely to look on the bright side of life – which makes them good candidates for falling wildly in love.

Dog owners are more likely to feel positive about finding ‘the one’ and to report that they enjoy dating. This positive outlook likely contributes to their success in the love department.

It also makes you more likeable. 30% of Londoners say they wouldn’t date someone who didn’t like dogs. So changing your Tinder profile to a snap of you cuddling a French Bulldog is likely to boost your odds of getting lucky.

Kennel Club Secretary, Caroline Kisko, thinks the results are unsurprising.

‘It makes sense when you consider that dogs are a great ice breaker, when strangers may otherwise not look twice at each other, and that we tend to have very positive associations about people who love dogs,’ says Caroline.

‘Of course, whilst the benefits of dog ownership are profound – from the potential for an increased social circle, to how dogs help us to unwind through a daily walk and a hug – it isn’t and shouldn’t be for everybody.

‘But our research shows that Londoners are leading increasingly busy and disconnected lives, where it is possible to go for weeks on end without so much as a hug.’

The Kennel Club are hosting a Discover Dogs event at ExCeL London on 20-21 October to help people pick out the perfect pooch for them.

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New research warns that parents shouldn’t use cardboard boxes instead of cots because there is ‘no evidence’ they are safer.

Cardboard baby boxes are being promoted in the UK for infant sleep as a safe alternative to more traditional cots, bassinets, or Moses baskets.

But, according to new expert writing in The British Medical Journal, there is actually no evidence that they help cut cot deaths or meet safety regulations.

They added the boxes are potentially much more dangerous as they can be flammable and easily accessed by pets and siblings.

In a letter to the journal, Professor Peter Blair, of Bristol University and colleagues, argued that, without supporting evidence, ‘the cardboard baby box should not be promoted as a safe sleeping space, but as only a temporary substitute if nothing else is available’.

Peter called for high quality studies ‘to better understand how families use the cardboard baby box and its safety implications’.

Cardboard baby boxes are huge in Finland, where they’ve been routinely given to every expectant mother since the 1930s.

They come with a mattress that fits into the bottom of the box, and some say they have helped cut cot deaths.

They’re now being given out free to new mums in some parts of the UK – which has prompted Peter and his team to share warnings.

He and his colleagues argue that there is no evidence that these boxes reduce cot deaths – SIDS rates are equally low in neighbouring countries such as Sweden and Denmark where boxes are not provided – and they question whether they meet safety standard regulations.

They point out that cots, with their bars and raised surface, and bassinets or Moses baskets with low sides, allow infants to be easily seen by parents and may also facilitate air flow, whereas the cardboard box does not.

Carers can see the baby only if they are looking from directly over the box to make sure their child is safe.

On top of this, some of the boxes come with lids, are potentially flammable, and if placed on a floor are susceptible to low level draughts, domestic pets, and young siblings.

If placed at a height, the box may fall, and there is no existing data on the durability of the box, especially if it becomes wet or dirty.

Peter said: ‘We support any initiative that raises awareness of SIDS, including appropriate SIDS risk reduction advice distributed with cardboard baby boxes.

‘But this advice can be undermined if the messages given are incorrect or mixed with non-evidence based messages about the intervention itself.’

He added: ‘Population-wide initiatives should have to meet high standards of safety and efficacy and should be subject to rigorous evaluation before implementation, because the potential to cause inadvertent and unintended harm is much greater than for those that target a selected population.’

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A great-great-grandmother who just turned 101 has put her long life and youthful looks down to the daily brandy she adds to her cup of tea.

Betty Newsham celebrated her birthday on 14 October.

Betty still dances four times a week and has travelled the world, and loves hitting up the slot machines in Las Vegas, last visiting five years ago.

Still very independent and living on her own at her home in Sheffield, where she has lived since 1997, Betty says that as well as adding a shot of brandy to her cuppa, a long life of hard work has done her good.

During the war she worked for James Neill tools making munitions and aeroplane parts.

She loved the job but was forced to quit when she became pregnant with her only child, Lorraine, now 74.

Speaking of her youth, Betty said: ‘In my head, I still think I am that same young girl.

‘But everything has changed in Sheffield – there are bigger buildings and more cars on the road.

‘And I don’t think people are as kind as they were. People use to have more time for each other.’

Betty cared first for her husband James and then her mum, as well as others in her neighbourhood.

Betty’s daughter, Lorraine Cooke, who has lived for the last 35 years in the United States, said: ‘I used to call her the Florence Nightingale of Shiregreen.

‘She used to go shopping and cleaning for anyone who needed help. Everyone was very close in those days, people minded each others’ kids.

‘Dad used to say what about us but she is just very caring like that.’

Lorraine has two girls, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild – making Betty a great-great-grandmother.

Speaking of her mother’s independence, Lorraine said: ‘We have tried to say she would be better in Arizona but this is her home and it would be a huge move for anybody.

‘And she is determined she is not going in a home – she wants to stay in her flat.’

Betty lived with her husband James when they married in 1939 until he died 45 years ago, aged just 63.

She is currently recovering from a fall in which she broke her collarbone and two ribs, and says the thing she misses most is not being able to get out like she used to.

‘She used to like to get on the bus and go all the way around the city, being around people and just watching them,’ said Lorraine.

And now with deafness, she is even more isolated. But despite this, she is sustained by friends who visit her when Lorraine is in America.

‘Betty is fantastic,’ says Michelle,’ who visits Betty every lunchtime. ‘She has a wonderful sense of humour. She is my best friend.’

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It turns out that dogs really do understand human language, according to new research.

They process spoken word in a similar way to humans, and in the same area of the brain, say scientists.

This explains why dogs get so excited when we say ‘walk’ or ‘treats’, or respond to an affectionate tone of voice.

For the research, a dozen dogs were trained to lie in an MRI scanner so their grey matter could be monitored as toys were held aloft.

Different areas of the brain lit up when the US team either used the correct words to describe them or spoke gibberish.

Neuroscientist Professor Gregory Berns, of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, said: ‘Dogs may have varying capacity and motivation for learning and understanding human words.

‘But they appear to have a neural representation for the meaning of words they have been taught, beyond just a low-level Pavlovian response.’

The study, published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, shows for the first time that dogs have at least a rudimentary neural representation of the meaning of words they have been taught.

They can tell the difference between those they have heard before from those they have not.

First author Ashley Prichard, a PhD candidate in Prof Bern’s psychology lab, said: ‘Many dog owners think their dogs know what some words mean, but there really isn’t much scientific evidence to support that.

‘We wanted to get data from the dogs themselves – not just owner reports.’

The researchers focused on questions surrounding the brain mechanisms dogs use when a human speaks – or even what constitutes a word to them.

Senior author Gregory said: ‘We know dogs have the capacity to process at least some aspects of human language since they can learn to follow verbal commands.

‘Previous research, however, suggests dogs may rely on many other cues to follow a verbal command such as gaze, gestures and even emotional expressions from their owners.’

He is founder of the Dog Project, which is researching evolutionary questions surrounding man’s best friend.

The project was the first to train dogs to voluntarily enter a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner and remain motionless, without restraint or sedation.

Gregory says the brain of a medium-size dog, like a labrador, is about the size of a lemon.

His inspiration was the mission that killed Osama Bin Laden, in which a military dog jumped out of a helicopter.

He says: ‘That was my epiphany. If a dog can be trained to jump out of a helicopter, certainly we can train a dog to go in an MRI.’

Using toys to keep the dogs comfortable in the MRI, the test started by saying the names of the toys at set intervals.

Eddie, a golden retriever-Labrador, for instance, heard ‘Piggy’ or ‘Monkey,’ before the matching toy was held up.

As a control, the owner then spoke gibberish, such as ‘bobbu’ and ‘bodmick,’ then held up novel objects like a hat or a doll.

The results showed greater activation in auditory regions of the brain to the new ‘pseudowords’, relative to the trained words.

Ashley explained: ‘We expected to see dogs neurally discriminate between words that they know and words that they do not.

‘What is surprising is the result is opposite to that of research on humans – people typically show greater neural activation for known words than novel words.’

The researchers say the dogs may show greater neural activation to a novel word because they sense their owners want them to understand what they are saying, and they are trying to do so.

Gregory said: ‘Dogs ultimately want to please their owners, and perhaps also receive praise or food.’

Half of the dogs in the experiment showed the increased activation for the novel words in their parietotemporal cortex.

This is an area believed to be similar to the angular gyrus in humans, where vocabulary is processed.

But the others showed heightened activity to novel words in other brain regions including parts of the left temporal cortex and amygdala, caudate nucleus and the thalamus.

Gregory said this could be linked to the range in breeds and sizes of the dogs, as well as possible variations in their abilities.

A major challenge in mapping dogs’ cognitive processes is the difference in the size of their brains.

The study does not mean spoken words are the most effective way for an owner to communicate with a dog.

In fact, other recent research by the same team showed the neural reward system of dogs is more attuned to visual and scent cues, than verbal ones.

Ashley added: ‘When people want to teach their dog a trick, they often use a verbal command because that is what we humans prefer.

‘From the dog’s perspective, however, a visual command might be more effective, helping the dog learn the trick faster.’

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